Publix Super Markets, Inc., commonly known as Publix, is an employee-owned, American supermarket chain headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, Publix is a private corporation that is wholly owned by present and past employees and members of the Jenkins family. Publix operates throughout the Southeastern United States, with locations in Florida (787), Georgia (186), Alabama (69), South Carolina (58), Tennessee (42), North Carolina (38), and Virginia (8).
Publix stands as one of the largest U.S. regional grocery chains. Locations are found as far north as Richmond, Virginia, as far south as Key West, Florida, while the westernmost location is in Mobile, Alabama. Today, the state of Florida still has the largest number of stores, with 787, about two-thirds of the outlets. As of July 2018, Publix employs about 193,000 people at its 1,187 retail locations, cooking schools, corporate offices, 9 grocery distribution centers, and 11 manufacturing facilities. The manufacturing facilities produce its dairy, deli, bakery, and other food products.
Publix is ranked No. 47 on Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For 2018, down from No. 21 in 2017, and was ranked No. 7 on Forbes' 2017 list of America's Largest Private Companies and is the largest in Florida. Fortune ranked Publix #1 on their 2018 list of World's Most Admired Companies in the Food & Drug Stores sector. The company's 2017 sales totaled US$34.6 billion, with profits of $2.3 billion, ranking No. 88 on Fortune magazine's Fortune 500 list of U.S. companies for 2017. According to the National Retail Federation, based on 2016 revenue, Publix is the fifteenth-largest U.S. retailer. Publix stock is only available for purchase by eligible active employees and non-employee members of its Board of Directors.
Video Publix
History
Early history
George Jenkins opened the first Publix market in Winter Haven, Florida, on September 6, 1930 - a 27 ft by 65 ft building at 199 West Central Avenue. In 1934, that store made $120,000 in sales. In 1935, he opened a second market, the Economy Food Store, also in Winter Haven. Despite the Great Depression, his stores were financially successful.
In 1940, Jenkins, affectionately called "Mr. George" by his employees, mortgaged an orange grove to build Florida's first supermarket. His "food palace" had piped-in music, air conditioning, cold cases for frozen and refrigerated items, in-store doughnut and flower shops, and electric-eye automatic doors. During World War II, material shortages prevented him from building additional stores. In 1945, Jenkins purchased the 19-store All American chain of food stores and converted them into Publix Super Markets.
In 1951, Publix moved its headquarters from Winter Haven to Lakeland, Florida, and built its first distribution warehouse there. At the same time, they began to close the All American stores, replacing them with Publix markets. In 1956, Publix achieved $50 million in sales, and $1 million in profit. In 1957, the donut shop in each store was expanded into a full-service bakery.
Florida expansion
By 1959, Publix was the dominant supermarket chain in Central Florida, and began expansion to South Florida. In 1963, the company built a distribution center in Miami, and began providing deli services. In 1970, sales surpassed $500 million; they reached $1 billion in 1974, when the chain expanded to include Jacksonville, Florida.
In 1982, the company launched the Presto! ATM network; it soon installed ATMs in every Publix. Sales exceeded $5 billion in 1989.
In 1983, Carol Jenkins Barnett joined the Publix Board of Directors and served in that role until 2016. During her time at Publix, the company grew into the largest supermarket chain in Florida, expanded into five other states, and recorded $32.5 billion in sales in 2015.
Publix Super Markets bought 49 Florida stores from Albertsons. The deal was announced on June 9, 2008, and was completed on September 9, 2008. It included 15 locations in North Florida, 30 in Central Florida, and four in South Florida. The sale allowed Publix to operate four stores in a new market area for the company, Escambia County, Florida (the Pensacola area).
On February 5, 2009, Publix opened its 1,000th store in St. Augustine, Florida, allowing the company to become one of only five U.S. grocery retailers to operate that many stores. The St. Augustine store is among Publix's first stores designed to be energy-efficient. The store includes motion sensor lights throughout the store, including on the freezer doors, and an overhead light system that can be controlled by each department.
Southern and Mid-Atlantic expansion
The first Publix outside Florida opened in Savannah, Georgia, in 1991; distribution and manufacturing facilities in Dacula, Georgia (a northeastern suburb of Atlanta) soon followed, as it began to expand into metro Atlanta in 1993. Publix further expanded into South Carolina (1993), Alabama (1996), Tennessee (2002), North Carolina (2014) and Virginia (2017).
In 2011, Publix announced it was expanding into North Carolina, initially by opening stores in the Charlotte metropolitan area, and later announced construction of a new store in Asheville. The first Charlotte-area Publix stores (on the South Carolina side of the metropolitan area, opened in 2012); the first North Carolina Publix store opened in Ballantyne in 2014. Concurrently, Publix purchased seven Charlotte-area locations from competitor BI-LO stores. Publix completed the purchase of property in Boone, North Carolina on November 20, 2015 with plans to open in 2017.
In February 2016, Publix announced their entry into the Virginia market, with the signing of two store leases, the first in Bristol scheduled to open in 2017 and the second in metropolitan Richmond scheduled for 2018. In July 2016, it was announced that Publix had entered into a purchase agreement with Ahold and Delhaize Group for 10 Martin's Food Markets locations in the Richmond market as part of the divestiture of stores to gain clearance from the Federal Trade Commission for the impending Ahold/Delhaize merger.
In April 2016, Ed Crenshaw, grandson of founder George Jenkins, retired from his position as CEO. President Todd Jones, a 36-year Publix veteran whose first job was as a Front Service Clerk (bagger), has taken on Ed's responsibilities as CEO, marking the first time that someone outside the Jenkins family is in charge of the company. Ed Crenshaw will remain with Publix as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Maps Publix
Market
Each store provides products and services in its grocery, deli, bakery, produce, floral, meat, and seafood departments. Some stores have valet parking, cafés, sushi bars, pharmacy departments, and/or a liquor store.
The customer service counter also provides check cashing, money orders, Western Union services, Rug Doctor rentals, and lottery tickets. Some stores also provide DVD rental services. In December 2005, Publix discontinued its photo processing service, replacing it with an online or mail-order service via the Snapfish program. The Snapfish agreement has since been terminated, and Publix no longer offers photo services.
Aprons
Publix operates 11 cooking schools under the Aprons name. The schools offer cooking demonstrations in which customers are encouraged to sample easy-to-make, nutritious dishes prepared at in-store kiosks and take a recipe card with them. All recipes are developed in-house, using easy-to-prepare or prepackaged ingredients, often available at the Aprons kiosk.
In 2005 Publix introduced its Aprons make-ahead meals concept. Customers could purchase meals that they could assemble in-store or, for an extra charge, an Aprons associate would prepare and assemble the meals. These were standalone stores located in Jacksonville and Lithia, Florida. In summer 2009, Publix closed both locations citing lack of customer interest.
GreenWise Market
GreenWise Market is a concept the company introduced in response to the increase in the number and profitability of health food stores. GreenWise Markets were created to increase awareness of nutrition; it focuses on organic and natural items. These stores are similar to the Whole Foods Market chain. In addition to organic and traditional products, GreenWise Markets include salad and hot bars. The first six stores were set to be in Palm Beach Gardens, Boca Raton, Vero Beach, Tampa, Naples, and Coral Springs, Florida.
The first GreenWise Market opened on September 27, 2007 in Palm Beach Gardens. The second Publix GreenWise Market opened in Boca Raton on May 29, 2008, located in Boca Village Square. The third Publix GreenWise Market opened November 6, 2008, in Tampa's Hyde Park neighborhood.
From 2008 to 2016, the company focused on a "hybrid" concept instead, integrating the GreenWise concept into traditional Publix stores. Approximately half of locations built since 2008 are considered hybrid stores.
In 2017, the company announced they would resume building standalone GreenWise locations, the first of which will be near the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee, opening in 2018.
Publix Sabor
Publix operates seven stores, branded "Publix Sabor" (sabor is Spanish for "flavor"), which cater to Hispanic Americans living in Florida and offer products for Hispanics. Located in Miami-Dade County in Greater Miami, the seven themed stores are spread between Miami and Hialeah. have since been closed and replaced by newly built locations or merged with existing stores that are not part of the Sabor sub-brand. Two other Publix Sabor locations in Kissimmee and Lake Worth
Publix Sabor locations have bilingual English-Spanish employees, open seating cafés, and a wider selection of prepared foods from the deli and bakery catering to Hispanic flavors. Publix offers cafés and hot foods because many Hispanic Americans grew up in foreign cities which had open public squares where people socialize and eat.
Pharmacy
The first Publix in-store pharmacy was opened on October 30, 1986, in Altamonte Springs, Florida. By 1995, one-third of Publix stores had a pharmacy and today, approximately 90% of Publix stores include a pharmacy. Publix Pharmacies consistently ranked number one for customer satisfaction in supermarket pharmacies in several surveys conducted by independent research companies.
Free medications
Publix announced in August 2007, that it would offer several types of antibiotics free to its customers. Customers must have a prescription; they are given a maximum of a two-week supply. Several medical professionals expressed concerns that this could contribute to an overuse of antibiotics which leads to antibiotic resistance, a serious public health concern. These medications include:
- Amoxicillin (excluding Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid)
- Ampicillin
- Ciprofloxacin (excluding Ciprofloxacin XR)
- Penicillin VK and
- Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMZ-TMP)
These antibiotics are offered to customers regardless of their prescription insurance provider. Doxycycline Hyclate was removed from the list because of cost increases. In May 2014, Cephalexin was removed from the list due to cost increases.
In March 2010, Publix announced the launch of another free prescription, Metformin for Type II Diabetes, the generic of Glucophage. Publix provides the medication in 500 mg, 850 mg, and 1000 mg strengths. The only restriction is a 90-day supply or up to 360 500-mg, 270 850-mg, or 225 1000-mg tablets, but refills are not limited.
In August 2011, Publix began offering Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor that is used to prevent, treat, or improve symptoms of high blood pressure, certain heart conditions, diabetes, and certain chronic kidney conditions, as another free prescription. Customers can get a 90-day supply of this prescription for free at any Publix Pharmacy, up to a maximum of 180 tablets. Lisinopril-HCTZ combination products are excluded.
In May 2014, Publix began offering Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain (angina) as a free medication. Customers can get a 90-day supply of this medication (up to 180 2.5-mg or 5-mg tablets, or 90 10-mg tablets) free of charge.
Montelukast, a medicine used for the treatment of allergies and asthma, was added to the free medication program in February 2017. 90-day supplies of 4- or 5-mg chewable tablets for children, or 10-mg oral tablets for adults, are available with a doctor's prescription.
The Little Clinic
In early 2006, Publix and The Little Clinic signed an exclusive agreement to open medical clinics within Publix stores. The first clinics were opened in the Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa markets in the first half of 2006. The Little Clinic health-care centers were staffed by nurse practitioners who can write prescriptions, provide diagnosis and treatment of common ailments and minor injuries, and offer wellness care like physicals, screenings, and vaccinations. Effective May 9, 2011, Publix closed the Little Clinics in its stores in order to focus on its core pharmacy and grocery business.
BayCare telehealth sites
Publix and BayCare Health System announced a collaboration to provide telehealth and telemedicine services at specialized pharmacies in four Tampa Bay-area counties in March 2017. Pharmacies participating in the program have private rooms for patients to speak with a board-certified physician in BayCare's network via teleconferencing, plus diagnostic tools that can be used by the patient, with or without assistance from pharmacy staff. Doctors will be able to perform basic exams and write prescriptions for minor illnesses and conditions for patients.
Online shopping and delivery services
Publix Curbside
After PublixDirect, Publix made a second attempt in 2010 at e-commerce with the introduction of Publix Curbside. Customers had the ability to browse and purchase groceries online, then drive to a participating location where an associate will have selected their items and would bring them out to the buyer's vehicle. Announced as a pilot program with locations in the Atlanta area and Tampa, the program was ended in January 2012 after its performance reportedly did not meet expectations.
The company later resurrected its curbside concept, this time using its delivery partner, Instacart, to manage the online ordering portion of the service. Currently in a trial stage, the second iteration of Publix Curbside began with two pilot locations in the greater Tampa area in September 2017, and is expected to expand to the greater Atlanta area by the end of the year.
Instacart
In July 2016, Publix announced another pilot program with Instacart to offer online shopping and delivery services in the greater Miami area. Customers in 37 ZIP codes from Hallandale Beach to South Miami are able to participate in the program. Not all products available at stores, such as tobacco, gift cards, prescriptions, and age-restricted items, are able to be delivered by the service. Beer and wine can be delivered in Florida and North Carolina only.
As of February 2017, Instacart deliveries from Publix are available in the metro areas of Atlanta, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Raleigh, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Nashville, as determined by ZIP code.
Later in 2017, Publix announced its intent to expand its delivery program, and expects to have the service available from more than 90 percent of stores by the end of the year.
Food World
In response to other grocery stores' aggressive discounting across the Florida market, Publix opened its first Food World store in September 1970 in Orlando, Florida. The store marked the first under the Food World banner for Publix and would become the first of 22 more of the type.
In November 1977, in Lakeland, Florida, Publix opened the Lake Miriam Food World, which, at 57,000 sq. ft., was its largest store in the company and also the largest store in the southeast. The store was the company's first to feature barcode scanners.
The brand was retired in 1985 because the stores were unable to turn a profit for Publix or give workers a percentage of their store's profits.
Publix PIX
Starting in 2001, Publix operated 14 PIX (stylized in all-capitals) gasoline-convenience stores in Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. Locations were limited during the trial period of the concept. In 2014, all Florida and Georgia locations were sold to Circle K, the sole Tennessee location was sold to another entity, and the concept was discontinued. The locations were converted to other brands, as Publix retains the rights to "PIX."
Crispers
In 2002, Publix invested in the Lakeland-based restaurant chain Crispers, which concentrates on health-conscious fare. It increased its stake in 2004 before purchasing the remainder of the company in 2007. In May 2011, Publix announced it had sold the Crispers chain to Healthy Food Concepts LLC. The stores had not performed well during the downturn and in recent years Publix closed several units, leaving the chain with 36 stores when the sale was announced.
Publix Liquors
Publix tested the market response to liquor stores in the late 1980s, but closed its test sites in 1989. It re-entered the liquor sales market again in 2003 and has met with success since. The liquor store is in an area accessed via a separate entrance as required by local laws, modeled after many other grocery chains.
DVD rental kiosks
In September 2010, Publix reported it started adding Blockbuster DVD rental kiosks to its stores, with the movie rentals starting at $1 per day. In 2010, Publix completed its rollout of Blockbuster Express kiosks to its stores.
In 2012, NCR sold its entertainment division, which includes the Blockbuster Express kiosks, to Coinstar, the owner of the Redbox DVD rental kiosks. Blockbuster Express machines were replaced with Redbox machines in most stores by the end of 2012.
Starbucks
In December 2016, Publix opened its first in-store Starbucks location in the Orlando area, with five more opening throughout 2017.
Presto!
Presto! is an automated teller machine (ATM) network owned and operated by Publix Super Markets. There are over 1,100 Presto! ATMs in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, all located at Publix retail stores. This network includes point of sale (POS) capabilities, meaning that debit, credit, electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cash, or EBT food stamp cards can be used to make purchases at any Publix store.
Working environment
The company, founded in 1930, has never had a layoff.
In 1995 Publix was sued "for sex discrimination in job assignments, promotions and allocation of hours" and settled for $81.5 million in 1997. Publix had claimed that the suit was simply an effort by the United Food and Commercial Workers to unionize the company, but the judge ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and required Publix to "correct some of its statements."
Publix announced that effective January 1, 2015, health coverage would be available to same-sex couples regardless of place of marriage, as long as they are legally married.
Charitable and political giving
Publix regularly conducts charity drives raising money and food for such charities as Special Olympics, March of Dimes, Children's Miracle Network, United Way, as well as various local food banks and soup kitchens such as Our Father's House Soup Kitchen and Second Harvest North Florida.
On May 25, 2018, student activists and survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, including David Hogg, planned a boycott of Publix, which would have included "die-in" protests at several Publix supermarkets, because of the $670,000 that the company made to Adam Putnam, a Republican candidate for Florida governor and self-described "proud NRA sell-out" who opposed new state gun restrictions created in response to the school shooting. Moments before the protests began, the company announced that it would suspend corporate-funded political contributions and reevaluate their political funding practices. Despite the company's announcement, David Hogg led a die-in on May 25, 2018 at a Publix supermarket with parents and students from Stoneman Douglas High School for 720 seconds, the approximate number of school shootings in recent history. Six days after halting political contributions, the Florida Retail Federation, a trade group heavily funded (>80% in 2017) by Publix, donated an additional $100,000 to Putnam's Florida Grown political action committee.
Stock
Publix stock is private and restricted: it can only be purchased by current employees or board members, and cannot be sold to anyone without first being offered back to Publix for repurchase.
Stock was made available to associates in 1959, originally priced at $10.00 per share. Employees can acquire stock through three programs: an ESOP "PROFIT" plan, 401(k) "SMART" (Saving Makes A Richer Tomorrow) plan, and an employee stock purchase plan.
As of March 1, 2018, Publix stock is valued at $41.40 per share. As of May 1, 2018, Publix stock has risen to $41.75 per share. Publix stock is quoted on the US OTC market under the code PUSH. It is listed on the 2016 Fortune 500 list at #87.
Legal disputes
In 2003, Publix supported a successful bill that prevents owners from suing if their land is polluted by dry cleaning chemicals dumped on an adjacent property, if the adjacent property owners are on a state clean-up list. Publix lost a 2001 lawsuit filed by an owner whose property had been contaminated in this manner.
On October 4, 2005, Publix sued Visa and MasterCard, citing unfair business practices over their unannounced and non-negotiable increases in merchant account fees. Wal-Mart won a similar lawsuit against Visa in 2004.
In 2014, Publix was fined by the Board of Human Rights of Broward County, Florida for discrimination involved in the termination of an LGBT employee. Upon appeal, the 17th Circuit Court found that the decision by the Board of Human Rights of Broward County was "not supported by competent, substantial evidence" and quashed the order.
Awards
Publix has won various local, regional, and national industry and philanthropic awards, including:
- One of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" (1998-2016) - Fortune
- One of the Best Places to Work in IT (2005-2010) - Computerworld
- One of the "Best Companies to Work for in Florida" (2009) - Florida Trend
- Sustainability Excellence Award (2009) - Supermarket News
- One of the "Most Admired Companies" (1994-2018) - Fortune
- #1 - "World's Most Admired Companies" - Food & Drug Stores Industry (2018) - Fortune
- "Green Grocer" Award (2008) - Progressive Grocer magazine
- "Best Grocery Store" (2003-2004) - Florida Monthly magazine
- Winner of the Mid-Florida Society for Human Resource Management Diversity Award (2003)
- Received the Diversistar Award for excelling in promoting workplace diversity practices (2003)
- One of the Top 10 Family-Friendly Supermarkets (2003) - Child magazine
- The Governor's Business Diversification Award - Business Expansion (2003)
- Catalyst Blue Ribbon Board of Fortune 500 Companies with Multiple Women Directors (1998-2002)
- One of the nation's Outstanding Employers of Older Workers (2002) - Experience Works
- America's Second Harvest Grocery Distributor of the Year Award (2001)
- One of the "Employers of Choice 500" (2001) - BestJobsUSA.com
- Special Olympics Florida Hall of Fame (2001)
- United States Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Merit Award 2000 (2000)
- One of the top companies for working families (1999) - Central Florida Family magazine
- March of Dimes Million Dollar Club Award (1999)
- Progressive Grocer "Retailer of the Year" Award (1998) - Progressive Grocer magazine
- United Way of America national Spirit of America Award (1996)
- One of the top 10 companies in the book, The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America
- Number 2 in Consumer Reports' 2015 ranking of grocery stores
- One of the 25 Most Important Private Companies (2016) - Fortune
See also
- Carol Jenkins Barnett
- Howard Jenkins
References
External links
- Official website
- Publix stockholder information
- Publix companies grouped at OpenCorporates
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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